Redtail and Lily: The Untold Story
by Stormwhisper
Summary: Redtail has just been made a warrior, and it will be many moons before Firestar joins the Clan. But what will he do when he begins to fall for a loner who he finds trespassing on ThunderClan territory, and how will the forbidden romance end?
1. Prologue

Lily's life was never easy.

Lily was a rogue, a loner. She had no home, and both of her parents and all of her littermates were dead. Any place she went, she was immediately chased away and never seemed to be able to find refuge. Nothing had been right for her since her mother had died.

Lily had been born to two strong and loyal cats. Flower, her mother, was the daughter of Bone, who had helped lead BloodClan to victory. Because of this, she was given the best treatment for all of the cats that lived in the twolegplace. Flower didn't have to hunt for herself, but she was fierce and brave enough to do so. She had the perfect life.

Bone was protective of her, rarely letting her out of his sight. When he had to leave her to do things for Scourge, he would leave someone trusted to watch her and make sure she was all right. Flower was never exposed to any of the dangers and cruelty of being a BloodClan cat. She was only shown the soft sides, and Bone shielded her from everything else.

Bone often told her to choose a mate. He would not choose one for her, but strongly encouraged her to choose one for herself. Flower planned on, but had never seen any cat that appealed to her. Any who seemed strong and honourable had difficult personalities, and those who were sweet and intelligent were weak and low ranking. Flower wondered if she would ever find any cat to her liking.

And then, one day, Flower saw him. The tom had dark reddish-brown fur and bright blue eyes, which were staring right back at Flower. He was handsome and strong, and Flower could tell just from looking at him that he would be kind and caring. Flower loved him before she even knew his first name.

The tom's name was Cedar, and he could not have been a better match, as far as Bone was concerned. Cedar had been an excellent fighter, more skilled than any other except perhaps Bone and Scourge. Cedar had been fighting with Bone for a long time, and had become one of his most trusted advisors.

Flower had her first and last litter of kits three moons after meeting Cedar. Their father could not have been more proud, nor could Flower or Bone. The two toms grew quickly, and Bone and Cedar both trained one. Their names were Blizzard, for the first tom's pure white fur, and Ash, for the second's shadowy appearance. The she-cat, Lily, a small white cat, was not trained, for it was not customary for BloodClan cats to train she-cats, and even when they were trained, it was later in their lives.

So when Scourge came to ask if Bone and Cedar would fight with him, Flower eagerly volunteered her kits for the fight. Although the two toms were only eight moons old, they were good fighters, and Scourge seemed to think that the battle would be an easy win. If that was the case, there was no point in keeping Blizzard and Ash away from it. Besides, they'd have their father's help, as well as Bone's.

When the four cats left, Flower couldn't have been more proud. Cedar promised her to bring his kits back winners, and seemed assured that no harm would come to them. Bone was proud of the two toms as if they were his own kits, since he had never had kits of his own that he had brought into battle before. Flower had been assured that nothing would go wrong, that all would be well.

Flower waited back in her home, eagerly awaiting the news of victory to be brought back to her. She expected Cedar to walk in proudly, their two sons walking beside him, glowing with pride. Flower waited for Bone to come and announce proudly that they had defeated the Clan cats, and they would soon be living in a forest with more food.

But none of this ever happened, because only Bone returned.

Bone was soaked in blood, and he looked horrible. His face was covered with the defeat, which confused Flower, because she had already seen cats returning cheering with joy that they had won. Flower didn't speak for a few moments, looking at the cats returning to see if she could spot Cedar, or one of her kits. None of them were there.

"Bone… What's wrong? Where are Cedar, Blizzard and Ash? Why did they not return with you?" Flower asked. Even though she was concerned, she had never expected what Bone was about to say, and wasn't prepared to hear it. Cedar was so strong and brave, and Ash and Blizzard so young, but so skilled.

"Dead," Bone spat. "All dead. Ash was fighting a tom twice his size, and he was about to be killed. Blizzard and Cedar swept in to kill him, but the cat must have had a few friends, because suddenly they were fighting three cats. They lost."

Flower pulled Lily closer. Her daughter was already eight moons old, but Flower held onto her like she was a kit, and Lily clung to her mother as if she was a small kit again.

"They're… Dead?" Lily asked quietly.

"Yes, sweetie," Flower murmured softly. "Gone."

In the next few moons, things changed drastically for Flower and Lily. Bone was still in control of many cats, and the victory had drawn even more cats to them. But Flower and Lily didn't act the same. Bone was cold and heartless, but Flower and Lily both felt the loss in its entirety.

Bone taught Lily to fight before long, making sure that she could hunt for herself and defend herself if the need ever arose. Flower was distant and cold now, but Bone still had hope for Lily's future. If she could learn to be as fierce as Bone, then she would have a real future in BloodClan.

Flower's health decreased and decreased, while Lily grew stronger and stronger. Bone worried for his daughter, but he was concentrating on Lily's training. She was getting stronger and stronger, and she would soon be able to take care of herself, if she had to.

But one day Flower died. And everything changed.

Bone had cared deeply about his daughter, even if he had forgotten in the past few moons. Driven by grief and anger, he kicked Lily out of his home, and didn't let her help bury her mother. With no one left to go to, Lily had to try to survive on her own. But with Bone's strong influence over the twolegplace, there was almost nowhere to go.

It took two moons, but Lily finally found somewhere where she could live. An abandoned twoleg nest soon appealed to her, for there was an overgrown garden in the back. There was a small bush there, barely big enough to shelter Lily. But it was a home nonetheless, and it would allow Lily to hunt.

Hunting in the twolegplace was difficult, especially in a neighbourhood like that. Left over food from the twolegs helped to feed her, and she would occasionally steal food from kittypets and hunted any wild prey she could find. But it was not an easy life, and it was difficult to survive under such circumstances.

And so, one day, Lily decided to leave the twolegplace. She had heard rumours of a nearby forest, where there was plenty of prey and many separate groups of cats that lived easily in their home. Lily knew that they rarely accepted outsiders, but if she was lucky, she might be able to convince someone to give her shelter.

Lily had no idea what awaited her in the forest.


	2. First Sight

Lily spent a long time searching for the forest. Few cats even knew of its existence, and those who did were hesitant to point her in the right direction. It was hard to get food when she was on the run, and it was dangerous to sleep out in the open. But one day, her efforts finally paid off. She met an elderly tom that knew where the forest was, and told her exactly where to go.

It was everything she had expected, and more. Thick trees in some areas sheltered the forest, while it was clear moorland in others, dark and swampy in some parts, and there was even a river. Not that Lily got much chance to see any of this. Any cat that spotted her chased her away, driving her from the wooded areas to the swampy places and then back again.

Lily found that it was easiest to hide where there were the most trees, for the undergrowth helped her to hide herself. There was plenty of prey there as well, more than the rabbits on the moor. Even when she saw a cat in the sheltered areas, she could sometimes escape notice.

But it was very dangerous to keep going on like this. There was nowhere to spend the night safely, and each time she was chased away, the cats came closer and closer to catching her. She needed to try to join a Clan, and quite fast. Otherwise she'd need to find another place to live.

One day, in the area with the most trees, she paused to hunt. She'd been on the run for a while, and she needed to rest and eat. But as she was eating the mouse that she had caught, someone else began to chase her.

The tom had red fur and bright blue eyes, and the resemblance between him and Cedar was incredible. He was strong and handsome, just like Cedar had been. And although he didn't look at her with the same loving gaze as her father had, Lily couldn't bring herself to run from him.

The tom froze as well, surprised by the look in her eyes. Instead of running, Lily was frozen in place. Although his pelt was bristling, he didn't seem to scare her at all. He was puzzled by this, but at the same time, he was beginning to see how beautiful the mysterious cat was.

"What are you doing here?" he finally asked, trying to make the loner understand him. He was still a young warrior, and he wondered if he would have any chance of beating her. He could see the muscles rippling beneath her pelt, although she looked horribly hungry.

Lily stared at him for a moment longer, trying to decide what to do. Finally, she meowed, "What is your name?"

The Clan cat paused, uncertain. Would letting this cat know his name really make much of a difference? "It's Redtail," he finally said. "And yours?"

"Lily," Lily replied. "You… You look a lot like a cat I know."

Redtail nodded, still puzzled. "What are you doing here?" he repeated, trying to make himself look fierce. "This is ThunderClan territory. You shouldn't be here."

"_ThunderClan_," Lily murmured, the word feeling strange on her lips. "I come from the twolegplace," she explained. "I… My mother died, and I didn't have anywhere to live. So I came here, and I wanted to see if there would be somewhere I could live."

"All the forest is controlled by the Clans," Redtail told her. "I'm afraid there's nowhere for you to go here. You might be able to find a home somewhere else, but not here. I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave."

"I know," Lily said, nodding a bit sadly. "But… Well, I was actually going to try to try to join a Clan," she admitted.

Redtail couldn't help but smile. Obviously Lily had been telling the truth; she wasn't from around here. "Clans don't accept outsiders," he told her. "I'm sorry but, it doesn't look like you'd be able to."

Lily sighed, shaking her head. "Back to square one," she muttered.

Redtail paused, considering his idea. Then, finally, he looked at her. "I think that I could find you somewhere to stay for a few nights. Only to rest and eat, of course…"

Lily smiled. "Thank you."


	3. The Stars

It had been nearly a half moon since Lily had first met Redtail.

Redtail was kind and caring, and Lily couldn't have liked him much more. He had found her shelter in a bush on ThunderClan territory, out of the way from regular hunting and patrolling. Although it wasn't a very good place to hunt, Redtail would bring her food from the richer parts of territory, sneaking away at night when the rest of his Clan was asleep.

When Lily had first met him, Redtail had reminded her a lot of Cedar. Their fur was the same colour, their eyes almost the identical shade of blue. But as Lily got to know him, she found him to be nothing like her father. Their personalities were complete opposites, their intentions never remotely similar. Even the way they walked was nothing alike.

Cedar had been a dark cat, someone who would have done anything for Scourge and his BloodClan. He had been committed to Scourge's vision of controlling more and more territory, ruling every cat he set his eyes on. If he hadn't died, he would have probably risen above Bone, and might have been the cat Scourge trusted most. He was a fierce cat, unafraid to kill without reason and torture cats to receive information he needed.

Redtail, on the other hand, was brave and loyal. He was committed to his Clan and he would have done anything to protect them, unlike Cedar, who only fought for his own gain. Redtail would sacrifice his own life if it meant saving another ThunderClan cat's life, no matter which cat it was. Redtail's personality was the exact opposite of Cedar's, despite their resemblance.

Redtail visited Lily every night, and he told her all about ThunderClan. Redtail told her about their customs, their ceremonies… Simply their ways of life. Redtail taught Lily their hunting and fighting techniques when the two grew bored, explaining how each different way of hunting played in their favour when they hunted prey in the forest. Lily was a fierce hunter, but unused to the territory.

"The stars are bright tonight," Lily meowed one night, staring at the sky. Lily and Redtail were lying on the grass, watching the sky in silence. There were no clouds in the sky, and instead there was only black, with the stars only white dots against it.

"StarClan," Redtail murmured, staring with interest at the sky.

"_Star_Clan?" Lily asked, confusion clear in her voice. "I thought there were just ThunderClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan and WindClan."

"StarClan is where all the spirits of the cats who die go," Redtail explained. "When a cat dies, they go up to StarClan, and join all the cats they know who are also dead, and watch over those they know who are still living. When they die, a new star appears in the sky."

"Really?" Lily asked. "I've never heard of such a story. Not that death was uncommon in my life before I came here, but we never spoke of what happened to cats after they had died. I had just assumed that they were gone."

Redtail smiled. "StarClan is well known among the elders' legends and myths. They provide guidance when the Clans are in need of it, helping to ensure that their descendants continue to live. The medicine cats have especially strong connections with StarClan, but leaders have been known to speak to them, as well."

"Wow," Lily murmured. "This is certainly a different place from my home."

"Where do you come from, Lily?" Redtail asked, curiosity shining in his eyes.

"The twolegplace," Lily meowed.

"You were a kittypet? But you're such a strong fighter!" Redtail exclaimed, perhaps louder than he should have been.

"No, not a kittypet," Lily assured him. "I lived without the aid of twolegs. Or at least, they never helped me intentionally. I hunted my food, and when I could not hunt, I stole from the food that the twolegs left outside, sometimes even taking the bland tasting food that they put out for their own kittypets."

"You sure come from a strange world, Lily," Redtail murmured.

"I could say the same to you."


	4. Close Call

**Author's note: In response to some reviews that I've read, Lily and Redtail are a couple not featured in the books, and Lily's very existence is totally non-existent in the true world of Warriors. However, I thought that it would be nice for Redtail to have a bit of a story for himself, and so I created Lily in my story _After Life_, and expanded on her character in_ Redtail and Lily: The Untold Story_.**

Lily was sitting silently under the bush, nearly a moon since she had first arrived in the territory, trying to get to sleep. Reversing her schedule was difficult, but she didn't want to be tired when Redtail arrived, and there was nothing to do in the day apart from resting. Curled up in a tight ball, Lily let the warmth of newleaf heat her fur and tried to settle into a peaceful sleep.

That was when she heard the footsteps.

Lily perked her ears as soon as she heard the footsteps, hoping that it was only a mouse or some other prey. But a sick feeling fell over her when she identified them as too heavy to be a mouse's. It was certainly a cat, and now the smell of the cat came over her, mixed with the scent of a mouse.

Lily flattened herself against the ground, trying her best to go by unnoticed. Her scent shouldn't be detected unless the cat came especially close, since Redtail had made an effort to disguise their scents around the bush. Being sighed was an issue, however. Lily's pale white fur must not have looked too incoscpicuous against the dark green leaves of the bush, and if her fur shone through the gaps of the leaves, she'd be done for. And if the cat found her… It would be quite hard to escape.

Lily stared straight ahead of her, fear full of fear when the cat came into view. She was a blue-grey she-cat, muscular with icy blue eyes. If she hadn't been carrying a mouse which made it harder for her to smell anything else, Lily was certain that she would have been found. But luckily it seemed as if the cat was otherwise occupied, and didn't even come close to the bush.

Lily was uneasy for the rest of the day, not sure if she should stay where she was or flee, for fear that the grey cat would return. Eventually, Lily decided against it, and instead waited for night to fall, though it was a very long wait. It was nearly moonhigh when Redtail finally arrived, later than usual.

"Sorry it took me so long," Redtail meowed as he arrived, his voice hushed as it always was, though he suspected no one was there to listen. "Lionheart—he's a friend of mine—asked me to go out hunting with him when it was nearly sunset. We didn't get back until an hour ago, and then I had to wait for him to fall asleep."

Lily didn't say anything, but it seemed she didn't have to. There was fear in her eyes, and as soon as Redtail looked at her properly, he saw it. He was puzzled at first. Was it something he said, or something she was seeing? Redtail cast a glance over his shoulder, but there was nothing there.

"What's wrong, Lily?" he asked.

"Today, while you were gone…" Lily meowed, trying to catch her breath. "I saw a cat, a grey she-cat with these cold blue eyes. She came very close to the bush, but she was carrying a mouse. If she hadn't been… Well, I think she would have caught me. I'm… I'm afraid."

"A grey she-cat," Redtail murmured. "It must have been Bluestar. Its strange of her to be out here, I can't think of what business she would have so far from camp." Redtail shook his head, not seeming at all bothered by how close Lily had come to meeting Bluestar. "No matter. I have an idea to keep anyone from finding you."

Redtail led Lily back towards ThunderClan camp, and Lily followed in silence. Redtail was a bit tense, bringing Lily closer to the camp, but he knew that there was no reason to fear. All the cats would be back in their dens, asleep. Besides, he planned on stopping long before they were anywhere near camp.

Redtail finally found what he had been looking for. A small plant, hidden among the roots of a tree. It had an amazingly strong scent, and it muted almost everything else. He couldn't even smell Lily, who was barely half a tail length away from him. He turned to her, and smiled.

Lily was puzzled at first, confused by what Redtail was trying to tell her. But Redtail's intentions soon became clear, and even though she didn't dare laugh when she knew that they were so close to ThunderClan camp, Lily smiled widely. Redtail was a genius!

It took only a few stems of the plant to disguise Lily's scent fully, and Redtail and Lily brought them back to the bush. They hid them quite near the bush, so close that Lily and Redtail's scent was indistinguishable from the smell of the plant. If someone made an effort, they might find that a cat had placed the plant there, but it was unlikely. It was a common herb, and it grew quite almost everywhere.

"Are you sure that I'll be safe now, Redtail?" Lily asked, still looking frightened. In response, Redtail pressed his pelt against hers reassuringly, smiling warmly at her.

"Yes, I'm quite sure, Lily," he purred. "Now, we still have some time before I have to return to ThunderClan to get some sleep. What would you like to do?"


	5. Proclomation

Bluestar had been the first cat to visit Lily's home uninvited, but she was not the last.

A few days after Bluestar had passed, Lily's confidence in her protection had grown and grown. Redtail told her that no one would find her, that she was perfectly safe. He seemed confident, and Redtail trusted him. He had never lied to her before, and so why should he start now?

But, despite Redtail's promise, Lily's ears pricked when she realized she was hearing footsteps once again. Lily could smell nothing because of the herbs, but there was soon a tom in view. Someone else was passing by her shelter! Lily flattened herself again, wishing that the tom had been hunting like Bluestar.

He was a large golden tabby, and Lily immediately realized he was Lionheart. Redtail spoke about Lionheart often. He was a brave and loyal ThunderClan cat, and perhaps one of Redtail's closest friends. Lily had often heard him say that Redtail had been lucky to have been named deputy, with Lionheart in the running.

Lionheart didn't seem to notice Lily, for he walked by without so much glancing at the bush. His nose was twitching, and Lily knew that he must have been annoyed that the herbs were masking so many smells of the forest. Quickening his pace, Lionheart was soon far from the bush.

Lily shivered from her hiding place despite the warm air, wishing that Lionheart hadn't appeared so near to her shelter, especially so soon after Bluestar had passed there. She wasn't worried about being found because she feared battle, for she was more than an even match to any Clan cat. But if she was found, she would have to flee. And then she would never see Redtail again.

Lily knew that she couldn't stay here much longer. She couldn't risk being discovered much longer, since a fight would compromise Redtail and make him seem disloyal. ThunderClan territory was only supposed to shelter her as long as she rested and regained her strength, and Lily had done that and more. But now… Now she cared so much about Redtail.

The whole day, she battled with herself about whether or not to remain. She didn't want to leave Redtail, but it seemed like the best course of action. For her own safety and for Redtail's own good. But Lily knew how she would feel when she left here. Redtail had helped to distract her from her mother's death. On top of losing Redtail, she would lose Flower once again.

When night fell, Lily still hadn't come to a decision. Leaving would feel horrible, but staying would be dangerous. What if Redtail got hurt because she hadn't left when she knew it was time? But if she left, she would miss Redtail so much… If he was gone, she would be without a friend in the world, not to mention nowhere to live.

Redtail brought with him a rabbit and a mouse for them to eat, but he must have sensed Lily's unease, for he soon fell silent. "What's wrong?" he finally asked.

"Lionheart came very near to catching me today," Lily admitted. "He would have caught me if not for that strong smelling plants. But now… Now I'm thinking that it might be best for the both of us if I just left."

Redtail shook his head immediately. "No, no, please don't go… I… I really like spending time with you, Lily. You're amazing, and… And I love you."

Lily might not have known it consciously before, but she didn't feel surprised when Redtail said the words. Before she knew what was even happening, she had spoken in response. "I love you too, Redtail."

Redtail pushed his head into her pelt. "I don't want you to leave, Lily. I couldn't live without you, and I really, really love you. I don't care what it takes, I don't want to let you go."

Lily shook her head sadly. "I don't want to leave, but I don't know if this is going to work. If someone caught me… Fighting them off wouldn't be hard, but then they'd figure out you were helping me, and you wouldn't have a home to go back to."

"No," Redtail murmured. "Why don't you just stay here for now? I can still hunt for you on ThunderClan territory, and you can hide here. If anyone finds you, you could run, and wait for me near the twolegplace. I could come after you, and we could find somewhere else to live."

Lily seemed uncertain, as if she wasn't sure if it would work. But when she finally looked at Redtail and saw the pleading in his clear green eyes, Lily knew that she couldn't refuse him.

"All right, Redtail," Lily murmured. "I'll stay here, for as long as you want me to."


	6. Just A Dream

Redtail returned to the warriors' den one night after spending time with Lily, exhausted. There was not much time left until dawn arrived, when he would have to organize the dawn patrol. But until then, he would get some much-needed sleep, and hopefully dream about Lily. Those were always his best dreams.

Sleep came to him quickly, but it was not what he expected.

Redtail was standing near the bush where Lily was staying. Strangely, he was well aware that he was dreaming. Normally it just felt like _life _when he arrived here and spent time with Lily in her dreams. But nonetheless, Redtail moved smoothly toward the bush.

"Welcome, Redtail," said an icy voice.

Redtail spun around to see Snowfur, Whitestorm's mother. He had known her in her life, but now she was dead. Redtail was puzzled by her appearance. If this was _his _dream, then why was she here? Redtail had no reason to dream about Snowfur without prompting. Unless…

"Are you from StarClan?" Redtail asked quietly.

"Yes," Snowfur meowed, nodding. Her voice was still cold and she looked angry, but she didn't make any effort to explain her intentions.

"What are you doing here? I am neither a medicine cat nor a leader. Why have you visited me in a dream?" Redtail asked.

"StarClan has been watching you lately, Redtail," Snowfur meowed. "We know of you and Lily and I have come to warn you. If you do not make certain that she leaves ThunderClan before sunset tomorrow, you will be punished."

Redtail shook his head sadly. "I don't mean to be disloyal to my Clan, but I can't help it. I love Lily, and there's no going back now. I can still hunt for my Clan and fight to defend them while still spending time with Lily, can I not? Why can't I simply love her?"

"You have been warned, Redtail," Snowfur told him. "Take this as your final warning. If you don't heed it, your punishment will be greater than you can imagine."

"Consider me warned," Redtail meowed softly. "I'm truly sorry, but as I said, I don't think that I can really change it."

But without seeming to listen to what he had said, Snowfur left, and Redtail awoke.

It was already almost dawn, and cats were beginning to awaken. Redtail rose tiredly to his feet, already forgetting his dream. It was just a dream, after all. Wasn't it?


	7. Gift Or Curse?

Almost a moon had passed since Redtail's dream, and it didn't seem like Snowfur was going to deliver on her threat. No one had been anywhere near Lily's hiding place since the close call with Lionheart, and Lily and Redtail had never been happier. Redtail was beginning to believe that it really had been _just _a dream, and that no harm would come to him now.

His suspicions had almost died when he visited Lily one night, and she looked very happy and excited. Before he could even put down the prey that he had caught for her, she was telling him.

"I have some good news," Lily announced. She was smiling brightly, and Redtail couldn't even begin to imagine why she was so happy.

"What is it, Lily?" Redtail asked, puzzled.

"I'm expecting kits!" Lily meowed happily, her smile brightening all the more when she spoke the words. She stared at Redtail, who was frozen, either with shock or… maybe fear.

Redtail was in fact frozen in surprise, but he was frightened. The dream came back to him, and he wondered if this couldn't be the punishment. It didn't make much sense, but…

_No, _Redtail told himself firmly. This couldn't be a curse. Kits were a blessing, and he didn't want any cat other than Lily to have them with him. With a bright smile, perhaps even bigger than Lily's, he looked back at her. "This is wonderful."

The rest of the night was spent planning. Redtail was prepared to leave the Clan and go with Lily where they could raise their kits in peace, but Lily wanted him to remain so that she could be fed while the kits were still young. With that decided, there was still the matter of deciding where the kits would live. The bush was too open and exposed, and they could easily run away while Lily was asleep.

Redtail and Lily spent the next few nights making the kits a new home. They found a hollow log nearby, and blocked one end with a thick wall of brambles. The other side was soon covered with only a temporary block, something big enough so that the kits couldn't get past but small enough that Redtail could open it when he came for Lily. It was made of a smaller layer of bramble, along with a few thorns embedded on the inner side of the wall.

Again, Redtail wondered if this was not the punishment promised by StarClan. He didn't know how, but this could be twisted into a punishment, couldn't it? But the thought was far from his mind when he saw the happiness that lit up Lily's eyes, and thought only that he was glad that Lily was having these kits.

Lily moved into the log den almost immediately, coating the inside with moss so that it was soft to the touch. The kits would be happy there for a time, because they would need to move around a lot more when they got older. When that time came, Redtail was planning on leaving ThunderClan so that he could find Lily and the kits a good home.

"This is going to work," Redtail murmured softly in Lily's ear one night as he was leaving.

Little did Redtail know, the plan was nowhere near adequate for what StarClan had in mind for Lily and her kits.


	8. Illness Strikes

Things had been going great, for a time.

Lily was quite close to having her kits, and no one had discovered her hiding place. To be certain that no one found them, Redtail and Lily had torn more of the herbs out of the ground and planted them around the log. Lily was careful not to expose her scent, but Redtail was worried that someone may find his constant trails, so he often went by different paths to try to make Lily harder to find.

Nothing was going wrong, and for a while, Redtail was beginning to think that this would work. As soon as the kits were old enough to travel Redtail and Lily would take them back to the twolegplace, where they would find somewhere temporary to live. They would live there until Lily and the kits were strong enough to defend themselves, when Redtail would leave them and try to find them a new, better home. Then he would return and bring Lily and the kits to the place where they would live.

The plan seemed perfect, and Redtail was certain that it would succeed. The dream had all but left him, and Snowfur's words had long since disappeared from his mind. Instead he was focused on making sure that Lily was comfortable and safe, and that their kits would have good and happy lives.

But about a moon before Lily was supposed to have the kits, she began to grow ill.

Redtail first noticed it when she coughed one night as he met with her. Foolishly, she told him that it was nothing, that she was fine. Redtail was suspicious at first, but Lily seemed perfectly convinced, and so Redtail ignored it. But it was certainly not the last he saw of Lily's illness.

The next few nights, Lily began looking worse and worse. A bright smile no longer lit up her face when Redtail arrived, replaced by a dull, weakened smile that didn't send the same message. Lily didn't say anything about it, but Redtail was growing more and more worried.

"Are you all right, Lily?" Redtail asked again, worry building up in the pit of his stomach. Lily didn't sound very good, nor did she look great. He was worrying that she was getting sick.

"No, I'm fine," Lily meowed, but her voice was weak and scratchy, not fooling Redtail. Worry rose steadily in his chest as he realized what must be wrong with her.

"You have greencough," Redtail meowed quietly. He had seen the treacherous disease many times before, and knew the symptoms well. Normally, it would not be much of a problem for a strong cat like Lily, but with the kits coming, she was in danger. The kits would be in trouble…

Lily stared at the ground, not denying it. She must have known all along, but convinced herself not to think about it. Now that Redtail had spoken the accusation aloud, Lily knew that it was inevitable.

"What are we going to do?" Lily asked, her voice quiet and afraid. She wanted nothing more than for these kits to be healthy. But her being sick… It would put their health in jeopardy.

"I'll try to get a cure," Redtail promised. "I know where catmint grows. I'll go tomorrow night, and I'll be back here shortly before sunrise."

"All right," Lily murmured. "Please, be careful."


	9. Catmint

The next day, as promised, Redtail set off in search of catmint.

Redtail was one of the few cats that knew the location of catmint near ThunderClan territory. When he had been an apprentice, he had gone exploring near the twolegplace, and had found an old abandoned garden when catmint grew. Ever since then, he would sneak away in the dead of night when someone caught greencough, and would leave it somewhere near camp for the medicine cat to find.

But now, Redtail was here on personal business. Spottedleaf could not learn of the catmint he was going to get now, and she could never meet the cat that he was getting it for. Redtail made sure that he was not seen, just like every night when he went to visit Lily, but instead of heading towards the log, he went in a different direction. The twolegplace was close.

It didn't take Redtail long to reach the twolegplace. He left at moonhigh, and there were still many hours left before dawn. If he could find it quickly, then he could get back to Lily and have time to spend with her. He slunk along the edge of the twolegplace, pushing himself against the strange fences that they put up to defend their territory. Did they not know that cats would find it easy to jump clear of the fence, and with ease?

The abandoned nest was difficult to locate, since they all looked the same. Redtail checked every garden where there wasn't a strange, fire-like light coming from the nest, but it still took him a long time to find the right nest. Hours had passed since he had set off to find the catmint when he finally found the right nest.

Almost warily, Redtail checked the garden. He realized with a jolt that there was, in fact, catmint in the garden. Wild and overgrown, it looked quite different from when he had last seen it, but it was definitely the same. Redtail jumped cheerfully over the low fence and grabbed a stalk of the catmint in his mouth, dashing away from the nest and back toward Lily's hiding place.

There was still some time before dawn, and Redtail drove himself hard to get back to Lily in time so that he could still spend some time with her. In the end, he reached Lily's hiding place with about an hour before he had to leave. She looked worse than ever.

"How are you doing, Lily?" Redtail murmured, coaxing her out of the log. Lily moved slowly, coughing tiredly every few steps. Although it was obvious that she had just woken up, Lily looked horribly tired, as if she hadn't slept in days. Only a day had passed since Redtail had really noticed the illness, and now she was already so weak. Redtail had almost forgotten how truly deadly this illness could be.

"I've been better," Lily meowed dryly. "Did you find the herb that you were looking for?" When Redtail nodded, her face brightened.

"I'm no medicine cat, but I think that you should just eat it," Redtail meowed lamely. "I've heard Spottedleaf say that it clears your throat and makes it easier to breathe and fight the illness."

"All right," Lily meowed, eating the catmint eagerly. "How long should this take to work?"

"Not long," Redtail meowed. "I'll stay with you for a while more, but then I'll have to return to camp to get some sleep."

"All right," Lily meowed, smiling at him. "Anything you want to do?"


	10. Life and Death

The kits came very soon.

Redtail was fearful, for Lily had not recovered fully from the stroke of greencough that she had been hit with. The catmint had helped, but it had not been enough to cure her entirely, perhaps because of the needed energy put into being pregnant. When Lily finally had the kits, she was very weak.

Redtail wondered if he shouldn't leave the Clan now and stay with Lily full time to make sure she was already, but Lily told him not to worry. Foolishly, he believed her. But a few days later, when the kits were no more than a few days old, Lily was crying when Redtail arrived.

Before Redtail could even ask what was wrong, Lily revealed to him the dead body of one of the kits. Three kits had been born, one totally black tom, named Coal, one pure white tom, named Snow, and one a sandy-coloured she-cat, named Sand. They had been strong, the previous night, when Redtail had seen them. Nothing had seemed wrong with them.

And now Coal was dead.

"What… What happened?" Redtail asked, his voice choked with shock and fear. He gently nestled Coal's body with his nose, but the kit's fur was cold, and there was no heartbeat. He was definitely dead.

"He just… Started coughing, out of the blue," Lily meowed, choking back tears so that she could speak. "And then suddenly… Suddenly he wasn't breathing. I tried to revive him, but he wasn't breathing…"

Redtail looked from Lily to the other remaining kits, whose eyes were still closed. He listened carefully in the silence. Lily's breath was shallow and weak, as was Snow's. But Sand's breathing still sounded strong, strangely powerful compared to that of her young mother and her brother. Redtail knew that she had a chance at life.

"Are you going to make it?" Redtail asked quietly, his voice small with fear. He was barely willing to accept it, but it seemed as if Lily might not make it past the next few nights. And if she didn't… If she didn't, the two kits with her wouldn't, either. Redtail couldn't deal with losing them all.

Lily paused, trying to make up her mind. Redtail knew that she was already aware of the truth, and was only trying to decide whether or not she would reveal it to Redtail. In the end, she shook her head, and in nothing more than a whisper, murmured, "No, Redtail. Save my kit."

Redtail watched Lily with wide eyes, but said nothing for a short time. Then, tears in his eyes threatening to brim over, he gently nudged Sand closer to him. She seemed strong enough to survive the journey back to camp.

"

"Take Sand back to your camp," Lily murmured. "Make sure she is safe, and then return to me. I will await your return, but that is as long as I can hold on. Bury me… Bury me with my kits, Redtail. Make certain that Coal and Snow never leave my side again."

Redtail looked sadly at his mate. He had always loved her… Always would love her. She was going to die now, and Redtail knew it. It was all his fault… If he had found a better place for her to stay, or if he had taken her away from the forest before this happened… But now it was done. Lily was going to die.

Redtail ran as fast as his paws would carry him, dashing through the forest and bringing him back to camp. He went straight to the nursery, careful to remain silent. Then, gently, he nudged one of the queens awake. She looked like she was about to snap at him when she saw the serious look in his eyes, and then noticed Sand.

"Please, take this kit," Redtail murmured. "Tell cats that she is mine. She may have a mild case of greencough, but she will be fine if you take good care of her. Make sure that she lives a good and happy life, and ensure that she isn't treated any differently than any cat. Her name is Sandkit."

The queen seemed like she wanted to refuse, but something in the serious tone of Redtail's voice told her not to object. She nodded without a word, not trusting herself to speak. Satisfied, Redtail left the nursery swiftly, and with all his might, ran back to Lily. He hoped she was still alive…


	11. Goodbye

**Author's note: Sorry for how short this particular chapter is, it just seemed to say all that needed to be said.**

Redtail arrived just in time.

Lily was just clinging on to life, just like Snow. Redtail sat down beside his mate and his dying kit, tears in his eyes. Lily buried her face in his pelt, her breathing growing worse and worse.

Snow died first, the shallow, barely audible breathing suddenly coming to a halt. Redtail mourned for his son's death, as did Lily, but neither of them moved. Redtail cherished the final moments he had left with Lily, and silently wished that this had never happened, that the cursed StarClan had stayed out of his business.

"I love you, Redtail," Lily murmured softly, her voice weak. "Take good care of Sand for me. And… never forget me." Lily spoke the words softly, and then pushed her head into Redtail's pelt one final time. Her breathing stopped, and Lily could have been asleep.

"I love you… I'll always love you," Redtail murmured quietly into Lily's ear, licking the top of his fallen mate's head one last time. He slowly edged away from her body, looking at her tearfully. They could have had such a life together, if not for this curse.

Redtail dug Lily's grave quickly, knowing he had little time until ThunderClan expected him to be organizing patrols. Redtail wished he could sit vigil for her, but settled with being able to say goodbye to her and their kits in private, while also knowing that another kit was still alive.

"I'll never forget you, Lily," Redtail murmured, just before he began burying her. "You changed my life. I'm so sorry that I ended yours."

He returned to camp shortly after, and many cats suspected that something was wrong. He snapped at any cat that spoke to him, and ignored everyone else. Redtail didn't act normally for many more days, and even then he only masked his grief. Now that Lily was gone, he had much more time in his empty, sleepless nights to think about her, about the loss of his mate and his kits.

The only thing that ever warmed his heart again was watching Sandkit grow. Though young, she was already mischievous and playful, nearly always getting her and her denmates into trouble. Redtail seemed to be the only cat she ever listened to, and he was grateful for that.


	12. Epilogue

**Six Moons Later**

Sandkit awoke early in the morning, more than excited. Finally! The morning she had been waiting for! No longer would she be confined to the nursery, getting in trouble with her parents and being punished for leaving camp. She would soon be an apprentice, a cat without as many boundaries as a kit.

Bluestar called the meeting early in the day, seeming to be proud of her deputy's kit being apprenticed at last. Although Sandkit had no littermates, she had made use of one of her friends, Dustkit, who was the same age as her. Dustkit was becoming an apprentice at the same time, but his apprenticeship was not as commonly talked about.

Redtail seemed happy for the first time in moons. Ever since Sandkit had been born, he had acted… Differently. Perhaps because the other kits of the litter had died, but Redtail had paid little attention when the three kits had been buried. Instead, he had been focused on Sandkit, making sure that her mother was not too sad to take care of her.

"Whitestorm, pass on your knowledge to this young apprentice," Bluestar concluded as she renamed Sandkit, changing her name to Sandpaw. "She will need your guidance to remain out of trouble in the future.

Redtail stared hard at Sandpaw, who looked embarrassed by the leader's words. Nonetheless, she dipped her head respectfully, and bent over to lick Bluestar's shoulder. Then, without a word, she went over to Whitestorm, and touched her nose to his. He seemed happy to receive her as an apprentice.

"Dustkit, from this day forward you shall be known as Dustpaw," Bluestar meowed. "Redtail, I would like you to teach and guide Dustpaw. Help him to understand the warrior code and teach him fighting and hunting techniques that are unsurpassed by other cats."

Redtail dipped his head in respect, and went over to touch Dustpaw's nose. It was ironic that Bluestar would tell him to teach Dustpaw about the warrior code. It was obviously something that Redtail knew little about. Snowfur had proven that moons ago, and Redtail had never recovered from the lesson he had been taught.

Bluestar leapt down from the great rock, and Dustpaw turned eagerly to Redtail. "Can we go training now?" he asked eagerly.

Redtail paused, considering for a moment. "Dustpaw, first I'd like you to clear out the elders' old moss beds and clear their pelts of ticks. Once your done that, I'll take you to the thunderpath, and we can look at the border."

Dustpaw seemed disheartened at first, but when Redtail reached the end of his speech, Dustpaw was excited. With a nod to Redtail, he dashed off in the direction of the elders den, eager to begin his long sentence of taking care of the elders.

_Dustpaw has potential, _Redtail thought, smiling to himself. _He will make a good apprentice._


End file.
